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Iowa Ruler Plea

Iowa Ruler Plea

Iowa Ruler Plea

MAY 14-A man who was arrested for measuring his penis with a ruler while at a urinal inside a University of Iowa bathroom has struck a plea deal that will spare him jail time, but which requires completion of a sex offender treatment program, according to court records.

Thomas Morgan, 44, was arrested on multiple indecent exposure counts following a bizarre incident inside the school’s Main Library in Iowa City.

Police reported that Morgan “partially turned his body towards the victim/witness,” who was using a urinal at the time. Morgan, seen at righ, then “measured his penis against a cardboard ruler,” according to a criminal complaint.

The victim told cops that Morgan “made a comment regarding his size,” adding that he “felt weird and uncomfortable” seeing Morgan’s “semi-erect penis.” The man added that atop two of the urinals were cardboard rulers with “dark sharpie markings regarding penis size.”

When confronted by officers, Morgan copped to measuring himself with the ruler. Though he denied “being aroused,” Morgan said he was guilty of being “curious.”

During a court appearance Wednesday, Morgan pleaded guilty to four counts of simple harassment. A plea agreement calls for him to receive a 30-day suspended sentence on each of the misdemeanor counts. Morgan will also serve a year of self-supervised probation and is prohibited from having contact with any victims for five years.

Morgan, who is barred from University of Iowa property, must also successfully complete a sex offender treatment program overseen by Iowa’s Department of Corrections. (2 pages)